The Heart Of The Matter
by briefbeauty
Summary: Iris has an assignment that she is not particularly interested in...luckily she meets a man who may just be the answer to all her problems AU
1. Chapter 1

_The Flash_ doesn't belong to me

 **The Heart Of The Matter**

Iris West was unhappy. Honestly! Hadn't she proved herself already? Hadn't she shown that she was better that those puff pieces about fashion shows and dog races that her editor wanted her to keep covering?

She had paid her dues. Done every assignment that landed on her desk, all without a word – okay, so she had grumbled and complained. A lot. But who wouldn't? She had done all the work that everyone else refused to do so it was time they let her write about something she was really excited about.

Like something about all those people with superpowers that were everywhere in Central City these days. Stories about the guy in the red suit – The Flash – as he'd been coined. Stories about things that actually mattered but no. She had to go to the university and meet with a certain chemist or was it physicist who had written a book.

She loved books but the guy had written a book about physics or some equally boring subject and she had the misfortune of having to interview him and write a review for the Picture News. Oh Joy. And the worst of it all was that her article was needed by day end tomorrow.

"You need to do some research," a colleague advised her.

"I would swing by the library first and get a copy of his book," another well-meaning voice added.

Which is why Iris was currently standing in the bookstore looking for _The Heart Of The Matter,_ the book she was supposed to write a review about. She wasn't even interested in such science-y things but her editor had just smiled and walked off.

As she made her way to the counter she bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry," the man – young, tall, good-looking – mumbled. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"No worries," she smiled at him.

He smiled back and then started when he noticed the book she was holding.

"You're interested in quantum matter?" he asked her.

"Why?" she teased him. "Shouldn't I be?"

"No," he rubbed the back of his neck, "no."

She shrugged, "actually I'm not but I have to read this book."

"Why?"

"I have to interview the author tomorrow so I thought I'd do some research."

He nodded.

"Between you and me I don't know how I'm even going to get through the first chapter let alone all five hundred pages."

"Yeah," he shook his head slightly. "That book is quite long."

Iris grabbed his hand. "Have you read it?"

"Will you think less of me if I said that I have?" he teased her.

"No," Iris tucked her hand in his, "you'll be my hero."

"Okay," he smiled uncertainly.

"Are you busy?" she asked him. "We could get on it right now."

Barry thought of all the work he had to finish and that fact that Cisco was waiting for him back at S.T.A.R labs and that he was already running late. And more importantly that he was actually the author of the book that this amazing woman was holding and that she was supposed to interview him about it the next day. Thank God he hadn't put his picture on the cover.

"No," he shook his head.

"Great," Iris all but dragged him to the cashier. "I'm Iris, by the way."

"Barry."

000


	2. Chapter 2

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"I think I now know the difference between dark matter and dark energy," Iris said, "thanks for helping me Barry."

Barry and Iris were in Jitters talking.

"Anytime," Barry smiled at her.

"Careful," Iris teased him. "I just might take you up on that offer."

"Since I know that you're a quick study," he replied, "it totally won't be a problem."

They had been talking for about an hour and Iris could honestly say that she had never met a person who was as excited by matter as Barry seemed to be. She wondered if she could somehow wrangle a way for Barry to meet the author of the book. She had suggested it to him but he'd been so freaked out that she had taken it back at once. Later Iris would think back on it and wonder how she had missed all the signs that were now so glaringly obvious – the name Barry was obviously short for Bartholomew and Barry's knowledge of the book had been too good.

"So you're meeting this guy Bartholomew Allen tomorrow?" Barry asked. He wondered briefly if he'd lost his mind. He knew that the right thing to do was to tell her the truth right but now somehow he couldn't.

"Yes," Iris nodded. "At 9; so that I'll have time to make sure the article is ready."

"I'm sure it will be fun."

"Because of you," Iris told him, "at least I'll know what he's talking about and you've given me an idea about the angle I'm going to use."

"So you're not just going to ask him about the book?"

"I'm not sure," Iris confessed, "that was what I was going with earlier but after meeting you and seeing how excited you are about it, I think a different approach will be better and I think it will make the book appealing to even non science-y types. So, again, thank you."

Barry's phone vibrated. He glanced at Cisco's name and put it away.

"You should really get that," Iris said. "It could be an emergency."

"No," Barry replied, "I'm sure it's nothing that can't wait." He was sure that if it had been a Flash emergency Cisco would have found a way to get it on the TV or something.

"Anyway," Iris smiled at him. "I have to go."

"Really?" Barry couldn't believe he had said it out loud.

"Yes, Barry," Iris stood up and began to gather her things. "But tell you what, why don't we hook up tomorrow after."

"Yes, yes," Barry agreed, and then, "Uh…no. You'll probably be too busy and – I have to go. Sorry."

Iris watched him hurry out of the Jitters and shook her head.

He was really adorable.

000

"Are you insane?" Cisco asked.

Barry didn't answer.

"Okay, you get major points for hanging out with an amazing woman, major points," Cisco said, "but dude, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't," Barry said honestly.

"Obviously," Cisco agreed, "why am I even asking? What are you going to do?"

"What can I do?" Barry replied. "I'll just show up for the interview and tell her that I'm Barry Allen and hope that she won't be too mad at me."

"I have a feeling that it won't work out well at all."

Barry rubbed his forehead in frustration. He should have just told her who he was right away.

"I'm going out," he told Cisco.

"Say hi to Henry for me," Cisco replied. He knew Barry was going to Coast City to talk to his dad.

000

"I've never seen you this excited about a book review."

Iris rolled her eyes at Linda. Iris had met Linda Park when she'd joined Picture News a few months ago and the two had hit it off immediately.

"I've never done a book review before."

"Exactly," Linda said, "a few hours ago you would have killed anybody who reminded you about your assignment but now you're almost buzzing with excitement."

"I met this guy -"

"Of course," Linda interrupted her. "I should have known."

Iris ignored her and continued. "I met this guy at the bookstore who got the whole dark matter, energy and time travel thing down and he explained it to me."

"Was he cute?"

"It was amazing, he made the whole concept so… approachable and I even got ideas about the direction I think the article should take. Turns out the book isn't as boring as I thought it was."

"Really? Who is this guy?"

"The book isn't bad," Iris repeated, "and if I didn't already own a copy I would have gone out and got one."

"That cute, huh?"

"Shut up' Linda," Iris told her. " _The Heart of the Matter_ is a good book and yes, Barry is good-looking."

"When do I meet him?"

"You're not meeting him," Iris replied, "we didn't exchange numbers or any information actually."

"Bummer," Linda teased her, "and here I was already hearing wedding bells and the patter of little feet."

Iris threw a pillow at her. Mentally she went through her wardrobe; somehow meeting Barry had made her excited about the interview.

She couldn't wait to meet Bartholomew Allen and talk matter.

000


	3. Chapter 3

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Barry entered Jitters long before 9 a.m. and got a table. He was worried about how Iris would react when she saw him. His father had tried to reassure him that it would be fine. That Iris would understand once he explained it to her; Barry had wanted to ask Henry what 'it' was exactly but he'd kept his mouth shut. Cisco hadn't been much help either – he had just told Barry that he intended to watch the whole thing going down and had promptly hacked into Jitters' CCTV to prove it.

"Don't worry," he'd joked, "if things got too hot I'll figure out a way to get you out of there."

Barry had changed three times until he'd reminded himself that it wasn't a date and that Iris would probably be too incensed to notice what he was wearing.

000

Iris entered Jitters with ten minutes to spare. She was wearing one of her favourite dresses – a short figure hugging green affair with high boots. She went to the counter where Kendra was waiting with her favourite coffee and looked around for a table.

She spotted Barry sitting in the corner and made her way to him.

"Barry," she smiled widely at him, "what are you doing here?" Before he could reply she added. "Don't tell me you changed your mind about meeting Bartholomew Allen? I'm so glad you did, although this is supposed to be a one on one interview with him. How did you know…?"

She stopped talking.

"You're him. Aren't you? Barry is probably short for Bartholomew." Some investigative reporter she was. She should have seen it earlier. She put her coffee down and glared at him.

"I'm sorry," Barry told her. "I should have told you who I was as soon as I saw you holding the book."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know," he replied, honestly, "believe I wanted to but somehow I didn't."

She nodded and sat down. For a brief second she thought of leaving and not doing the interview but she had never not finished an assignment in her life; in fact she always finished what she started, so she wasn't going to let him make her start now. She would ask him about his book and get out of there and write her article.

Barry was grateful when Iris sat down. She probably wasn't as angry as he'd thought she'd be. Five minutes later he realised his mistake; she was angrier than he'd thought she'd be but she was going to do her job. She asked him questions about the book, why he'd written it, about dark matter and time travel, how relevant those theories were, what his greatest influence was, she also asked him about his job at the university and about twenty minutes later, she put away her phone, which she'd been using to record their conversation, thanked him and stood up.

"That's it?"

"Yes," Iris said, "I think I got everything I need for the article. Thank you Mr. Allen."

"Mr. Allen?"

She shrugged. She didn't have to remind him that it was his name.

"I'm sorry," Barry said, again, "I should have told you that I was the author of the book."

"But you just couldn't," Iris finished for him, "and I get it."

"You get it?"

"Yeah," she said flatly, "I am just a random person you met for the first time yesterday. I practically forced you to talk to me. Who am I kidding, I kidnapped you. You had no obligation to tell me that you had written the book I was supposed to review. You don't know me from Adam, so I get it. Thank you for the interview."

She picked up her bag and put in her notebook, pen and phone and walked out of Jitters.

000

"That did not go well."

Barry had forgotten about Cisco until his friend spoke. "Yes," he agreed.

"It was worse than I thought it would be," Cisco added. "She was so logical and understanding."

"Yes," Barry said again.

"I thought she would keep asking for an explanation," Cisco continued, "and maybe shout at you, you know be angry, but she was just so cool."

"I was here Cisco."

"Maybe you should go to Picture News and try to explain," he suggested.

"I have no explanation," Barry reminded him.

"You could tell her that you were so … enthralled by her that you forgot to tell her that you'd written the book she was holding in her hand."

"Enthralled? Cisco! Who uses such words?"

"Not me," Cisco denied immediately, "but it is a word and I'm sure that there are people out there who use it."

Barry nodded glumly. He was so tired of lying to people.

000

"It's not funny."

"Excuse me," Linda laughed harder. "It is very funny. Barry the cute guy you met yesterday is the author of your favourite book."

"It's not my favourite book."

"You said it was great."

"I liked it," Iris explained, "when I understood it. Doesn't make it my fave, it's not even on my list."

"Did he explain why he didn't tell you who he was?"

"He had no reason," Iris said, "he just couldn't."

"Those were his exact words?"

"His exact words were 'somehow I didn't'."

Linda stared at her friend wishing she knew what to say.

"Anyway that's over and done with, right?" Iris forced a smile. "I wrote the article and handed it in. End of story."

"Sure it is."

000

Iris entered the Baldwin building.

She would get to the bottom of this real estate scam and maybe stop these hooligans from breaking up families and hurting people. The fact it would probably end up on the front page – above the fold – wouldn't hurt either.

One minute she was walking through an empty, trashed apartment, the next she was dodging bullets. _I really should have thought this through_ , she told herself. She pulled out her phone to call her dad, he was the last person she wanted to call but as a detective he was probably the best person to call. She would deal with the lecture later; when she was safe.

A well-aimed bullet made her drop her phone; she ducked behind a bullet-ridden wardrobe and weighed her options. She could either stay there and get killed or try to escape. She looked around and saw an open window, and even as the idea formed she dismissed it, she was ten stories above the ground, she wouldn't make it.

Two bullets went over her head and Iris made a decision. She would brave the window. Maybe she could hang on the outside until help came. Someone was sure to have heard the gunshots.

She climbed slowly out of the window and stood on the ledge. She wasn't ready to die. She was too young to die. She hadn't done anything with her life. Please don't let me die, she prayed silently.

She was too taken up with her thoughts she didn't notice that she'd missed a step until she felt herself falling. She was too scared to scream and the ground was rushing straight up to meet her.

Something grabbed her and she was carried to the ground.

She couldn't believe it.

It was the Flash.

The Flash had saved her life.

000


	4. Chapter 4

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"I'm gonna do one more sweep and call it a night."

"Okay." Cisco told his friend. "And this time you better call it a night for real."

"I'm going home after this," Barry said, laughing. "I promise."

He went by Linear street, 42nd and 9th and was about to head off towards the train station – there had been a number of cases of people almost falling onto the tracks recently – when he heard the gunshots. He stopped and looked up.

The shots had come from the Baldwin building. He was almost sure of it.

He looked up and tried to gauge which level they were coming from. He looked around and decided that there was nothing for it but to run up the side of the building. It wasn't like he hadn't done it before, and it would be quicker than running up the stairs.

He took a deep breath and as he about to run up the building he saw someone falling out of the window. Without thinking about it he rushed up halfway to catch the person before they fell to the ground.

As he put her – it was definitely a woman – on ground he took a good look at her.

It was Iris West.

000

Iris stared at the Flash. She couldn't believe it.

"You're really him," she said stupidly, and then, "there are two men with guys on the top floor."

He smiled and nodded and then run up to the top. A few seconds later he was back, "They'll be asleep until CCPD gets here."

Iris was staring at him still awed by his presence. She couldn't believe she had finally met the Flash. She had so many things that she wanted to ask him.

"How are you doing that?" she asked.

"What?" Barry asked.

"That thing with your voice," Iris said. "It's pretty crazy."

"Yeah," Barry agreed. He didn't know what had made him vibrate his voice; he just done it as soon he'd found out that Iris West was the person he'd rescued.

"Thank you," Iris told him and before he knew it she had put both her arms around him. "Thank you for saving my life."

"You're welcome, Iris."

Iris stepped back and stared at him. The Flash knew her name. "You know my name." It was a statement not a question.

"Yes." Barry could have shot himself in the mouth. He couldn't believe he'd said her name. "I've read a few of your pieces."

"You've read my work?" she couldn't help but feel excited that the Flash had read her work.

"Yes." He said again.

"I didn't take you for the fashion show and dog race type."

"You don't know me," Barry told her.

"So why don't you tell me about yourself," Iris invited.

"There's nothing to tell," he replied.

"I know that you got your powers after the particle accelerator exploded," Iris said, "that's when all the metahumans I've heard about got their powers."

"I guess you do know my story after all," he quipped.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you save people?"

"People need help and I can provide it," Barry replied.

"So you're just a good guy, then?"

He shrugged and then remembered what had been bugging him all along. "What were you doing in that building?"

"I got a tip that there were some thugs scamming people," Iris replied, "I came to find out for myself."

" _You did this for a story_?"

"You don't have to sound so disapproving," Iris told him, "I get enough of that from my father."

"Iris," Barry said, "You could have been killed."

"I wasn't," Iris reminded him. "Thanks to you."

"What if I hadn't been here?"

"We'll never know now, will we?"

"Iris, I'm serious," Barry wanted to shake her. He didn't know her at all but somehow he knew that his life would be less bright without her in it. "No story is worth getting killed over."

Iris nodded.

Barry eyed her and shook his head. "You're not going to stop, are you?"

"Would you stop running into burning buildings?"

"No," Barry told her, "but that's not the same thing."

"Because you have powers and I don't?" Iris asked him.

"Yes," Barry told her. "You have to be more careful."

"I'll be more careful," Iris promised. "I don't believe I'm saying this but I have to go, I have a story to write." She had to work on the story while it was still fresh in her mind. "Besides, you'll always be there to save me, right?" she said as she hurried off.

000

"You called her Iris?"

"It just slipped out," Barry told Cisco. They were sitting in a booth at the Pitbull. "I told her that I'd read her work."

"And she bought it?" Cisco was incredulous. "You do realise that she's mostly covered dog races and fashion shows."

"So she told me," Barry replied. "How do you know?"

"I looked her up," Cisco admitted. "You couldn't stop talking about her."

"I think she believed me," Barry said, "I'm getting pretty good at this lying thing."

"You're not as good a liar as you think you are," Cisco told him.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

000

"You'll never believe what happened to me," Iris told Linda.

She was back at the Picture News and the office was as full as it'd been when she'd left earlier.

"Try me," Linda said.

"I met the Flash."

"Get out."

"Linda, I'm serious," Iris said, "he saved my life."

"What? When? How?"

"I was at the Baldwin building," Iris began, only to be interrupted by Linda's, "you didn't. Iris. What were you thinking?"

"That I would get the story," Iris replied, "and help some people. Having a byline above the fold wouldn't hurt either."

"I heard that those thugs were killing people," Linda said. "I heard that four people had been killed by those thugs and at least two people have been hospitalized."

"And now I have proof and they have been stopped," Iris concluded. "My dad arrested them and I've just finished writing the story."

"Iris, no story is worth risking your life for," Linda said.

"So I've been told," Iris shrugged.

"What happened?"

Iris told her friend the whole story and Linda listened in shock and horror and told her never to follow up a lead on her own.

Iris purposely didn't tell her friend about the fact that the Flash had called her by name. She was still reveling in that knowledge. She hadn't believed him when he'd said that he knew her name because of her articles on the dog races and fashion shows. He had to have found out in another way and she was going to find out how.

She opened up her blog on the Flash. She'd been collecting internet posts about the Flash sightings and rescues, as well as other metahumans that had been spotted in Central City. She hadn't added anything new in a week – she'd been swamped with assignments – but now she added her own story to the collection.

 _Thank you, Flash, for saving my life._

She hit send.

"You're welcome, Iris West."

She heard his voice but he was gone in a flash. She would have convinced herself that she'd imagined it if it wasn't for the red flower that had been tucked behind her ear.

Iris smiled to herself and stood up. "Linda, let's go."

"Finally, West," Linda said, "I thought you were never going to leave the office today."

"Haha, for that you're buying."

000

Barry had almost talked himself out of it. Iris had made it clear that she never wanted to have anything to do with him but he also couldn't discount her reaction when he'd saved her. She had obviously flirted with him as the Flash. It was ridiculous, but he was almost jealous of the Flash.

Stop it; he told himself, you are the Flash.

But she doesn't know that, another voice reminded him.

He wrote a quick message and sent it before he could talk himself out of it.

 _Iris, it's Barry Allen. Can we talk?_

000


	5. Chapter 5

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Iris picked up her phone again. She'd been doing that on and off the whole day; no one else had bothered to call her or even send her a text since Barry Allen's message the night before. It was as if she wasn't going to get any other messages until she dealt with Barry Allen.

She sighed; it wouldn't hurt to meet with him and talk. She had had fun with him and his enthusiasm was very contagious.

000

Iris watched in dismay and horror as the coroner's van drove away with Larkin's body. She still couldn't believe what had happened. She glanced at Linda who was still shaking, they couldn't believe it a metahuman, Doctor Light, a doppelganger of Linda Park, had tried to kill her and instead ended up shooting Larkin.

Her dad, and his partner, Patty were questioning Linda, while Iris stood nearby to offer support. Iris had actually been the one to save her friend's life by shooting at the metahumans but hadn't been able to save their boss.

"Are you sure you're fine?"

Iris turned and saw the Flash she obviously hadn't seen him enter. "I'm fine; dad taught me how to shoot."

The Flash smiled and then turned to the detectives. "I guess there's nothing for me to do here."

"Thank you Flash," Joe said, and the Flash left the office.

Iris stayed with Linda throughout her interview with the detectives and after they had finished she drove Linda home; Linda was shaken up and she booked the earliest train out of town, she was going back home for some much needed rest.

000

Barry was sitting on the roof above Jitters and staring into space; he loved that spot and whenever he could he went there to think and remind himself why he did what he did. He was so taken with his thoughts that he didn't realise that he wasn't alone until he saw Iris looking at him.

"Hi," she said.

"Iris," he replied, "what are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "I like this place, I come here to think and… stuff. What are you doing here?"

"Thinking, like you," he said.

"How did you get here?" Iris asked him. She had worked at Jitters for a while and she had a key but she wondered how _he_ had managed to get there.

"I…I mean, my friend left it open for me," Barry replied mentally kicking himself, he should have known that anyone finding there would wonder how he'd ended up there. "How did you get here?"

She showed him her key. "I know I no longer work here but I still have the key and I needed a place to think."

"Are you okay?" he asked the question he'd been longing to ask her.

"You probably heard about what happened at the Picture News," Iris concluded, "I'm fine, I guess."

"Sorry about your boss," Barry said. "But from what I heard you saved the day."

"I didn't save him," Iris said, "and that metahuman, Doctor Light, nearly killed Linda."

"You saved your friend," Barry told her, "that's more than a lot of people would have done."

"It wasn't enough," she said sadly.

"Yeah," Barry agreed, he wished he had been in time to save everyone.

They sat in silence for a while; Iris had joined him on the edge of the roof and they were sitting side by side.

"I hope the Flash is okay."

Barry was startled by Iris's voice and her words. "What?"

"We both failed to save my boss, the Flash and I, and I am devastated by what happened I can only imagine that he feels worse."

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

"He's just a man," Iris continued, "and not a very old one from what I could tell."

"What do you mean, from what you could tell? Do you know who he is?" Barry couldn't believe that he was actually asking her that.

"I met him," Iris said, "okay, I didn't meet him; he saved me from some thugs with guns."

"Iris."

She could hear the silent rebuke in his voice.

"I didn't know that they carried guns," she defended her, "anyway I don't have to explain myself to you; what I'm telling you is that I met the Flash."

"So he's a young man?"

"He is," Iris said. "Do you think he has a family?"

"Who?"

Iris nudged his shoulder with hers. "Don't be daft, the Flash of course."

"I…" Barry stammered, "I've never given it much thought."

"I hope he does," Iris said, "I hope he has people who care about him and support him because he needs them."

"He does," Barry said without thinking.

"You seem pretty sure," Iris teased him, "for someone who's never given it much thought."

Barry could have jumped off the roof. "What I meant was that he must, everyone does, don't they?"

"No," Iris told him, "no they don't."

"No they don't," Barry agreed, "but I imagine he does."

"I hope he has someone to talk to, to encourage him, to let him know that even when he doesn't save everyone it's okay but mostly to tell him how grateful we are to have him."

"He has you," Barry reminded her, "I've read your blog and from what I see you do a pretty good job of encouraging him."

Iris laughed self-consciously. "I try."

"Why do you do it?" Barry asked her.

"How many metahumans have we seen since the particle accelerator exploded?" she asked him.

"I don't know, hundreds," he replied.

"How many do you see helping people every day?" when he didn't reply, she added, "he doesn't have to help people but he does anyway without even a thank you, so I decided that I would say thanks on behalf of the people in this city and show him how much he's appreciated."

"He's lucky to have you in his corner."

She shrugged.

"I meant to reply to your text but now I guess I don't have to."

"I thought you were never going to talk to me again," he confessed.

"So did I," she said, "but when I thought about it I figured that we all deserve second chances and you're such a dork I just had to give you one."

"That's good."

"So you wanted to talk," Iris reminded him, "or were those just words?"

"They weren't just words," Barry said, "but I didn't mean to suggest that I had major…uhm…thing or topic that I wanted to talk about."

"Okay," Iris could tell from the way he was talking that there was indeed a major thing that he wanted to talk about but she could wait until he was ready.

000

"He called me by name," she concluded.

"Get out."

Iris smiled at him, "he did and I was surprised which got me to thinking that maybe I know him."

"Maybe he knows everyone in the city."

"I doubt it," Iris said, "and he never called all the other people he saved by name."

"How do you know?"

"I'm an investigative reporter," Iris reminded him, "and I'll have you know that I'm great at it."

"Fine, fine," he mock surrendered.

"Enough about me and the Flash," Iris said, "What have you been to?"

"Nothing much," Barry said, "although I must say thanks, your review made my book very popular and I've been invited to a few engagements."

"You're welcome," without thinking about it, Iris put her arm around him and gave him a side hug. When he stiffened slightly, she apologised, "we're huggers in my family, and I guess I just got carried away."

"It's fine," Barry replied, "it was just unexpected, that's all."

"You better start to expect the unexpected," Iris told him.

"Why?"

Before Iris could answer they heard a voice. "There you are Iris, I was worried when I couldn't find you and you weren't answering your phone, and then I remembered how much you like this place."

Iris scrambled to her feet and looked at her father. "I didn't mean to stay out too long, Dad."

Joe West looked from his daughter to the young man who was standing next to her. Iris quickly made the introductions and after saying good night to Barry she walked off with her father.

"So who is he really?"

"I told you," Iris replied, "I met him when I was writing the about _The Heart Of The Matter_."

"So why were you out all hours with him?"

"I wasn't out all hours," she denied.

"What time do you call this?" Joe asked her.

"Let's just go home."

000

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR**


	6. Chapter 6

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Iris sat on the roof crying.

She couldn't believe what was happening in her life. First, she'd discovered that instead of her mother being dead like her father had told her all those years ago; not only was her mother alive but she was sick and dying and wanted a chance to get to know her before she died. As if that wasn't enough to rock a girl's world to pieces, Iris had discovered that her mother had a son, her younger brother and she'd kept him a secret from them all these years.

She had a brother. Her father had a son and Francine hadn't told them.

Iris wished that she hadn't dug into her mother's life, she wished she'd just written her off like she'd said would but no, she had to be all inquisitive and nosy and want to know if her mother was telling the truth about dying and she'd found this as well.

When she'd found out and even learned that her brother's name was Wally; the first thing she'd wanted to do was run to CCPD and tell her father but then she thought about how hurt and disappointed he would be that he hadn't looked for Francine and known about his son and she had immediately decided that she needed to spare him that. She needed to protect her father, which is why she was sitting on the roof crying. She didn't know who she could talk to about this; none of her friends could help her and Linda was still out of town. Just the thought that she couldn't even tell about this made her even cry harder.

She really wanted to call Barry; but she barely knew the guy and as understanding as he seemed she wasn't quite ready to dump all her problems on him.

000

"This new suit is really cool."

"Yeah," Cisco was uncharacteristically unenthusiastic.

"What?" Barry asked him. "It's great."

"I'll never really know if it was my idea or I was influenced by the article from the future," Cisco replied, he would have added more but he remembered just in time that Barry had never actually read the byline. _Iris West-Allen_. Cisco couldn't believe it when Barry had said that he was being interviewed by a reporter called Iris West and somehow how he felt compelled to keep everything he'd discovered secret.

"I'm sure you thought it up in the future," Barry assured his friend, "it's just that you got an advance screening of it and did it now and not then."

"That doesn't make me feel better," Cisco said.

"Fine," Barry stood up, "I'm out of here."

"See you tomorrow." Cisco turned to work on the new gadget he was designing.

000

Iris stood on the bridge staring into the water; she'd left Jitters when a group of teenagers had joined her on the roof and she could tell that they weren't intent on keeping quiet.

"Iris?"

She turned and saw Barry standing a few feet away from. Barry had been patrolling the streets when he'd noticed a lone figure standing on the bridge; though they had never been a suicide on the bridge he'd decided to check it out and changed his clothes when he'd realised that it was Iris.

"Barry, hi." She didn't look at him.

"I was just walking -," he stopped when he finally got a better look at her face. "Iris, what's wrong?" He asked instead, he wished he knew he well enough he take her into his arms.

"Nothing," Iris lied, and then stopped talking, bursting into tears instead.

Barry took her into his arms and held her close. He would make it right, whatever it was.

"I'm sorry for crying all over you," Iris said, as she stepped back a few minutes later. "I'm usually not such a crybaby." She forced a smile that failed miserably.

"Iris, what's wrong?" Barry asked again.

"It's my mom," Iris began, "she's dying."

"I'm so sorry," Barry told her.

"That's not all, though," Iris replied and proceeded to tell him the whole story.

"You have to tell your father," Barry told her. "He deserves to know the truth."

"I know," Iris nodded. "And it's been killing me since I found out. I should have told him sooner."

"But you were afraid of hurting him," Barry finished for her. "Iris, you do realise that this isn't your fault, don't you?" She nodded but he clearly wasn't convinced. "Your parents are the one who did this; not you and if it will help I'll come with you and we'll tell your father together."

"Thank you Barry," Iris hugged him. "Thank you very much."

They stood on the bridge on a while and then Iris said, "Let's get out of here."

"So, where do you want to go?" Barry asked her once they were off the bridge.

Iris shrugged; she hadn't really thought about, she'd just wanted to go somewhere – anywhere, with Barry.

"I could take you home," Barry suggested, "or we go for a coffee and brownies, I'm pretty sure there's a movie we would like to watch at the cinema or we could just walk."

"A walk sounds good," Iris said. It would help her clear her head. As they walked Iris looped her arm through his and Barry glanced down at her smiling gently. He really hoped that no one would need his help because there was no way he was leaving Iris.

He freed his arm from hers and before Iris could protest he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him. Iris smiled up at him and wrapped her arm around his waist. She had never felt more cared for and protected in her life.

They walked towards the park and decided to walk inside. They were quite a few people sitting there and there was a band playing.

"I'd forgotten that there were free night concerts in the park this week," Iris said. "Barry, I'm sorry about earlier."

"What?" Barry laughed, "It was good to finally discover that you're only human like the rest of us."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Not only are you a great writer," Barry told her, "but you faced those gunmen at the Baldwin building and stopped Doctor Light from killing your friend."

"You make it seem like I go out looking for trouble."

"I'm sorry," he sounded anything but.

She scoffed.

"Iris, you're one of the strongest people I know," Barry assured her, "jumping out of a building takes a lot of courage."

Iris stared at him. Hard. "How did you know that I jumped out of the Baldwin building?" she was pretty sure she had not him about that.

"The Flash told me." Barry could have bitten his tongue. "He was very impressed with what you did."

"He was?" Iris couldn't help but feel good about that but she couldn't stop the question. "You know the Flash, then?"

"Yes."

"You know the Flash!" Iris hit him on the shoulder. "He's pretty great, isn't he? I won't ask who he is because I know you have to protect his identity and all that." Barry could have kissed for that.

Iris stared at Barry again. She'd known that he was hiding something from her – maybe it was the Flash's identity and something told her that it was more than that. She considered asking him but decided to let it be. For a while. She would return to it at some future date.

"Thank you, Barry," she said instead.

"For what?"

She just shook her head. She didn't even know what she was thanking him for, but there was something about him that made her feel good about herself.

"You're very welcome, Iris West."

Barry looked at her and then in a sudden movement, he swept her up against him, and then slid his palms up her cheeks to hold her face tenderly. He wanted to say something but he knew it was too soon; instead he smiled at her and kissed her.

000


	7. Chapter 7

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000

One minute Iris was grabbing Barry's chest deepening their kiss and the next she was thrown to the ground.

A huge man – shark was standing infront of them. He looked from Barry to Iris; they were both laying on the ground staring at him.

"Where is the Flash?" King Shark asked. "I can smell him. Where is he?"

Barry looked around wondering how he could escape and return as the Flash. Quickly chasing that thought was the question…what was King Shark doing in Central City, he'd thought Harry had taken care of him.

"Why do you want the Flash?" Iris asked King Shark.

"Zoom wants the Flash dead," King Shark replied, "I must kill the Flash."

"Why are you talking to him?" Barry asked Iris.

"Don't you want to know why he wants the Flash?" Iris asked Barry. "I thought the Flash was your friend."

Before Iris could reply shots rang out in the air. Cisco, Caitlin and Harry had arrived in a van and were shooting at King Shark. He turned to face them and then walked off. Cisco, Caitlin and Harry got out of the van.

Iris got off the ground and eyed the newcomers in silence.

"These are my friends from S.T.A.R labs," Barry said, "Cisco, Caitlin and Harry. This Is Iris."

The four of them nodded at each other. "We're lucky you showed up when you did," Iris said, "who knows what that shark man would have done to us."

"Killed you probably," Cisco said.

"He wasn't really interested in us," Iris said, "he said he was looking for the Flash."

"That's weird," Caitlin said quickly.

"Yeah," Iris nodded, "he probably knows that Barry," she looked at them, "and I guess you guys know the Flash."

"Yes," Barry agreed, "we've met the Flash."

Cisco and Caitlin exchanged glances. "Yes, we have," Cisco said.

"I think it's time we left this place," Harry had been walking around the area but now he moved closer and joined the group. "Get back to S.T.A.R labs." He opened the van door and sat in the driver's seat. Cisco and Catlin quickly joined him in the van.

"Aren't you coming with us, Allen?" Harry asked.

"No, I'll see Iris home first," Barry replied.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Harry asked him.

"I'm taking Iris home," Barry told him, "and I'll meet you back at the Labs."

Harry drove off muttering to himself.

"Wow," Iris said, "that was weird even for Central City."

"Yes," Barry agreed, "a talking Shark man."

Iris nodded. The talking shark man had been weird, why was he wearing pants? But the thing that Iris found weirder was the fact that he had said he could smell the Flash _and_ that Barry friends from S.T.A.R labs had shown up at that exact time and scared him off. Everybody knew about the particle accelerator explosion at S.T.A.R labs and the emergence of the metahumans thereafter. What was Barry doing working with 'his friends' at S.T.A.R labs? Did they have a metahuman detection app that had led them to the shark man? Why had the shark man attacked her and Barry if he was looking for the Flash? He had said that he could smell him which meant… stop Iris, she told herself, stop right now.

Barry eyed Iris. She had stopped talking and seemed lost in thought. He hoped King Shark hadn't hurt her.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't ask earlier. You're fine, aren't you? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"I'm fine," Iris assured him. "Are you fine?"

"Yes," Barry replied. He wanted to add something but he wasn't sure what to say.

They reached the West home and he saw her safely inside. "I had a really good time tonight," he said, "I hope the …uhm…incident with King Shark didn't really spoil the evening for you."

"It certainly made it more exciting," Iris told him, "I had a great time."

"I hope we can do it again soon," Barry said, "I'll call you."

"Okay," Iris said. He kissed her cheek and watched as she closed door behind him. He stood on the porch for a little while longer and then sped off to S.T.A.R labs.

Iris closed the door behind her and slowly walked towards the stairs. King Shark? The metahuman that was looking for the Flash was called King Flash? Barry was keeping things from her but she could get it on some level – after all they'd only just met. They barely knew each other. Yet she knew without a doubt that he was lying to her. She didn't know how she knew it but she was sure of it.

000

"Great timing guys," Barry told Cisco, "but did you really have to appear all guns blazing?"

"You're just lucky that my new metahuman alert app works, on you anyway," Cisco said, "Otherwise who knows what would have happened?"

"Yes," Caitlin agreed, "what would you have told Iris if King Shark had outed you as the Flash?"

"The truth."

"Allen," Harry said, "your spending time with Iris is a waste of valuable time that we don't have; added to which she's a reporter."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Do you honestly think she can sit on such a story?" Harry asked him. "That she would not give you up for fame and fortune, and to advance her career?"

"She wouldn't," Barry said.

"Maybe she would, maybe she wouldn't," Harry shrugged, "the main thing though is that she's distracting you from your work. You have to stop Zoom. Now. Before he destroys this city instead your head of full of this girl."

"My head is not full of Iris," Barry denied. "I am focused on finding and stopping Zoom."

"Okay, enough guys," Cisco interrupted them, "clearly King Shark is a bigger problem than we thought. We have to find a way of tracking him like he can track you."

000

Iris pulled out her laptop, debating with herself whether she should do it or not. She didn't have enough evidence to prove even to herself that Barry was the Flash but just in case he wasn't; wasn't it her duty as his friend to warn him about the danger that he was in?

She got her car keys and drove to Jitters. It was closed, as expected, she let herself in and sat down and opened her laptop. She was crazy, she really was.

 _Can we meet?_ she typed. _There's something urgent I have to tell you._ She hit send and waited.

 _Our usual place?_

 _I'm waiting for you._

"Are you crazy?" Caitlin almost shouted at Barry. "King Shark is looking for you and he wants to kill you."

"Iris is waiting for me."

Cisco and Caitlin shook their heads but they both knew that there was no way they were going to stop Barry from going to see Iris. They only hoped that they could come up with a way to stop King Shark and soon.

"Maybe King Shark won't show up," Caitlin said.

Cisco didn't bother to reply. He was busy thinking of ways to help his friend.

000


End file.
